Republican former wrestling executive Linda McMahon trails Connecticut Attorney General
Richard Blumenthal, the Democrat, 50 - 40 percent in the U.S. Senate race, according to a
Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters released today. That's down from a 54 - 37
percent Blumenthal lead July 16.

In a separate survey of Republican likely primary voters, Rob Simmons trails Ms.
McMahon 47 - 30 percent, with 14 percent for Peter Schiff. This compares to a 52 - 25 percent
McMahon lead in a July 16 survey by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.

Only 8 percent of these Republican likely voters are undecided, but 38 percent of those
who name a candidate say they might change their mind by the August 10 primary.

McMahon gets a 62 - 27 percent favorability rating from Republican likely voters, while
Simmons gets a 49 - 24 percent score, with 25 percent who don't know enough about him to form
an opinion. For Schiff, 61 percent don't know enough to form an opinion.

Looking at McMahon and Simmons, Republican voters say:

41 - 33 percent that McMahon has the best character and personality to be a U.S. Senator;

39 - 33 percent that Simmons is most qualified to be a Senator;

42 - 27 percent that they most agree with McMahon on key issues;

45 - 25 percent that they most agree with McMahon's positions on the economy and jobs;

54 - 25 percent that McMahon is best able to win the general election.

"The McMahon-Blumenthal Senate race in Connecticut could be a real smackdown, as
the Republican has the money and momentum, cutting into Blumenthal's lead month to month,"
said Quinnipiac University Poll Director Douglas Schwartz, PhD.

"Independent voters, the largest bloc of voters in Connecticut, are for the first time
evenly divided between Linda McMahon, who gets 46 percent, and Richard Blumenthal, who
gets 44 percent. Blumenthal led 54 - 35 percent among independent voters just three weeks
ago," Dr. Schwartz added.

"But as McMahon focuses on Blumenthal, she better watch her back. Rob Simmons has
shown surprising strength among Republican voters after jumping back into the primary contest
barely two weeks ago. But it might be too little too late for Simmons.

"Among all voters, McMahon runs better than Simmons against Blumenthal, which is
different than our last poll when they ran roughly the same against Blumenthal. Republican
primary voters think McMahon has the better character and personality to be a U.S. Senator, but
that Simmons is more qualified."

From July 28 - August 2, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,299 Connecticut registered
voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.7 percentage points. Also from July 29 - August 2,
Quinnipiac University conducted a separate survey of 1,003 Connecticut likely Republican
primary voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points. These likely voters were
selected from lists of people who have voted in past elections.

The Quinnipiac University Poll conducts public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey,
Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201,
or follow us on Twitter.

THE FOLLOWING RESULTS ARE BASED ON A POLL OF 1,003 LIKELY REPUBLICAN PRIMARY
VOTERS

5REP. If the Republican primary for United States Senator were being held today,
would you vote for Linda McMahon, Rob Simmons, or Peter Schiff? (If undecided
q5REP) As of today, would you say that you lean a little more toward McMahon,
Simmons, or Schiff? (This table includes "Leaners".)

TREND: If the Republican primary for United States Senator were being held
today, would you vote for Linda McMahon, Rob Simmons, or Peter Schiff? (If
undecided) As of today, would you say that you lean a little more toward
McMahon, Simmons, or Schiff? (This table includes "Leaners".)

18REP. Which of the following is most important to you in deciding whom to
support in the Republican primary for United States Senator - a candidate's
personality and character, a candidate's positions on key issues, a candidate's
experience and qualifications or a candidate's ability to win the general
election in November?

24REP. If Linda McMahon wins the Republican primary for United States Senator,
how likely are you to support her in the general election in November -
definitely, probably, maybe, or will you not support her?

25REP. If Rob Simmons wins the Republican primary for United States Senator, how
likely are you to support him in the general election in November - definitely,
probably, maybe, or will you not support him?

26REP. If Peter Schiff wins the Republican primary for United States Senator,
how likely are you to support him in the general election in November -
definitely, probably, maybe, or will you not support him?